THE debut workings of Greater Anglia’s ‘Aventra’ fleet took place on November 26 when Nos. 720515/517 formed the 1K85/16.10 Southend VictoriaLiverpool Street and 1K78/17.25 return. The event was, understandably in the present times, a low-key one.
Units released from Bombardier, Derby in recent weeks, and all moved by Nos. 47727 and 47749, have been Nos. 720554/556 (to Wolverton on November 12/13 respectively) and No. 720521 (to Worksop on November 19). Also arriving at Worksop was No. 720542 from Ferme Park (North London) on November 2, while two sets departed for testing on the West Coast Main Line – No. 720522 was taken from Worksop to Crewe (rather than Wolverton) on November 16, with No. 720547 following the next day. Both were out on test on November 18, making two runs to Northampton.
Another set that has undergone testing on the West Coast Main Line, No. 720546, was taken from Wembley to Old Dalby by Type 3s Nos. 37601 and 37800 on November 26.
EMR ‘DESIROs’
This story is from the January 2021 edition of Rail Express.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the January 2021 edition of Rail Express.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Powerscene
Our authoritative class-by-class review of newsworthy locomotive workings.
Service reductions as Covid cases increase
An increase in Covid-19 cases in early January saw the governments in Ireland and Northern Ireland impose stricter lockdown measures that impacted on public transport.
East West Rail funding go-ahead
Although it was expected, £760 million of funding has now been confirmed to build the Western Section of the East West Railway scheme.
1990s ‘N' gauge Class 950
Work on the ‘N’ gauge Class 950 Track Recording Unit project, a conversion based on a standard Graham Farish Class 150/1 model, is concluded by finishing the model in 1990s condition.
‘2024 Stock' design due soon
Cab and body mock-ups of the Piccadilly Line’s new train fleet should be released by Siemens in March.
Letting the train take the strain
Car-carrying Motorail services were an everyday feature of British Railways’ timetables from the 1950s, but were eventually killed off by the growing motorway network.
End for Harrogate line token working
Semaphores remain but, as David Russell reports, a switch to tokenless signalling on the York to Harrogate line should make it more efficient for operations.
The BSC PTA family
Brand-new ‘OO’ gauge models of the British Steel Corporation(BSC) PTA iron ore tippler wagon (and derivatives) have caused a lot of excitement in the D&E modelling community.
Graham Farish late-condition ‘Goyle'
Three late-condition (refurbished) Class 31s are part of the latest batch of six ‘N’ gauge Class 31 models to be released by Bachmann under the Graham Farish label. New toolings have been employed to create this version of the ‘Goyle’ which dates from the 1980s.
Swansong of the ‘483s'
With the Island Line’s veteran Class 483 EMUs counting down to their withdrawal on January 3, Christopher Westcott talks to two drivers who have operated the trains on London Underground and the Isle of Wight.